


Cupboard Full of Pandas

by Makira820



Series: Cupboard Full of Pandas [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Gen, Sae fluff for your soul, Tae Niijima, future arc, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21660688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makira820/pseuds/Makira820
Summary: The 9 months leading up to the the arrival of the newest member of the Niijima family.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto
Series: Cupboard Full of Pandas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561558
Comments: 2
Kudos: 77





	Cupboard Full of Pandas

_January 2024_

Not even through their front door and she could already smell the tantalizing aroma of expertly-brewed coffee.

Sae should have suggested carpooling with Akira sooner. It was the perfect excuse to enjoy breakfast with her sister and get a free cup of her brother-in-law's coffee, no smug questions asked. Not that she'd ever tell him she liked his brew _and_ his cooking more than her own or even Makoto's, but…she did. Very much. Hiring him as her firm's leading Legal Investigator was the best and only personal decision she ever made where her career was concerned. A recollection for another day though; right now she needed caffeine in her veins.

_Ding, dong!_

"Door's open..!" Akira yelled from the kitchen towards the general direction of their front door.

Sure enough, the delectable scent wafted directly into her face as she let herself in. A familiar welcoming as of late. Married life did nothing to keep Makoto from seeing Sae on a regular basis, much to the older sister's relief. Akira didn't even properly greet her as she took a seat at the counter—he didn't have to. A wordless exchange as he poured her usual blend was all that was needed between family. The smile on his face was merely self-indulgent as Sae took an agreeable sip from the mug.

"Mmm, you're employed for another week," Sae joked.

"Thank you very much, _Niijima-sensei,_ " Akira chuckled. "Now, what would you like for breakfast?"

"Oh, whatever Makoto's having, I suppose. Actually… where is she? Don't tell me she overslept?"

"Actually, she did. Well, more like I turned off the alarm and made her oversleep," Akira said. "She had a _long_ night."

Sae nearly choked on her coffee. "Okay, stop. I don't want to know anything mor-"

"Not like _that._ I meant she's not feeling well. She was up nearly half the night feeling nauseous and sweating," he explained.

"Oh."

"Around… 2am, I think it was? Yeah, she asked me if we had any strawberries."

"What?" Sae asked, confused.

"My response exactly. But she _really_ wanted strawberries. _'Like a lot of strawberries,'_ she said. Low vitamin C, I guess? So," Akira opened the fridge door and pulled out one of many identically packaged items. "earlier this morning, I went down to the market and bought some strawberries. A lot of them."

"I…can see that," Sae said, still trying to understand everything. She highly doubted anything Akira touched in a kitchen wouldn't turn out delicious. Still, it wasn't like Makoto to request anything sweet for breakfast.

They went on to talk about other current events as Akira got to work doing whatever he had planned for the strawberries. Neither of them heard the bedroom door open or the approaching footsteps from down the hall amongst the various clattering sounds of the pots and pans.

"...You got the strawberries?!" Makoto yelped with glee as she entered the kitchen.

Akira turned to his ecstatic wife. "Yeah, I- _mmfph!"_

No words allowed for her husband, it seemed. Without warning, Makoto walked up to him, grabbed him by the head and planted a very amorous kiss on his lips. Very, _very_ amorous. The kind not typically shared between the two while in the presence of company, least of all Sae. She watched with wide eyes up until the point she was pretty sure Makoto's tongue was partaking (and winning) in a wrestling match in Akira's mouth. Thank god she still had half a cup of coffee left because she needed something to look at besides that… _oral situation_ occurring on the other side of the counter. She dared not look back up until it was over.

Makoto pulled away first, her hand on his shoulder as she pressed her body into his.

"And… a very good morning to you… Queen…" Akira whispered, his breath quite literally taken from him.

Makoto giggled as her other arm, snaked around his back as it searched the countertop, finally found it's bounty: a big, fat strawberry. She pushed herself away and took the little sucker in both hands as she bit into it. 

_Euphoric._

The big sucker, her husband, finally caught on as he turned back to the cutting board. She took the most perfectly shaped one! There went his presentation plans for the dish. He'd be a little annoyed if she didn't look so happy munching on her berry snack. She grabbed another one much less stealthily once the first was nothing more than a stem.

"I uh, was gonna actually _cook_ something with those. Unless...you just want to eat them raw?"

"Hmm? What did you have in mind?" Makoto asked, covering her mouth as she continued chewing.

"Well, I was planning on making a simple topping or filling for a pastry of sorts. Crepes, donuts, egg tarts, whatever you want."

A twinkle of light shined from Makoto's crimson eyes. "Donuts?! That's _perfect!_ Oh my god, I love you!" She wrapped her arms back around her husband, planting numerous audible kisses on the side of his face.

Sae's attention was brought back to not-so-public displays of affection happening in front of her. She knew Makoto loved Akira to death, but being so vocal about it at 7 am? Squeezing the life out of him at the simple mentioning of strawberry donuts? On a weekday, no less? Something was amiss _._

"Okay, okay!" Akira gasped against Makoto's facial onslaught. "If you don't let me go, I can't cook!"

Makoto stopped immediately. "Oh, good point," she said as she pecked him one last time.

Akira feigned annoyance, but his grin betrayed him. The last time Makoto was this cheery in the morning was when she got her Lieutenant's badge only a few weeks back. Just recalling the night _before_ that very good morning was enough to stir sinful thoughts that he really shouldn't be thinking about with company in their home. Fortunately, cooking was essentially his "baseball".

"Coffee?" Akira asked.

"Yes pleeease~" Makoto replied with a pearly smile as she took a seat next to her sister.

"Someone's unusually chipper. Feeling better, I take it?" Sae asked her sister.

"Hmm? Better?"

"You weren't feeling well last night, were you not?"

"Ohhhh, right, yes. I felt like I had to vomit but… couldn't? And the AC, ugh, that certainly didn't help. I think it may be broken. But now I feel great, amazing even," Makoto explained.

By now the seeds of speculation planted in Sae's mind had begun to sprout. 

"Well, that's good to hear," Sae said.

Makoto went back to munching on the handful of strawberries she snagged from the container; each bite producing an even more pleased expression on her face. It was actually kind of cute. She was like a squirrel stuffing nuts in its mouth, except they were berries. Both cheeks were full of them, and she couldn't be happier. _But then_ she took a sip of coffee…

The look of pure repulsion on her face was something Sae would never forget.

"Erm… A-Akira?" Makoto asked, trying not to hurl all those strawberries she just ate up onto their countertop.

"Yes?" He answered over his shoulder.

"D-Did um… Did you perhaps… urk... do something different with this-erm… th-this coffee?"

Akira turned around. "No, wh- Honey, are you okay??"

"I-I'm…fine. Just…"

She could feel the contents of her stomach rising.

"Excuse me!" She shouted as she stumbled out of her chair and sprinted towards the bathroom.

Akira and Sae said nothing, or more like they didn't get the chance to say anything before the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut rang through the entire apartment. Akira took her coffee mug and gave it a whiff, and then a sip. He didn't care about any possible contagions transferring to him; if he poisoned his wife he had to know. Besides, they already swapped saliva that morning.

It tasted fine.

"Strange… I guess she's just still sick?" Akira hypothesized aloud.

_"Just"_ sick. Honestly, how could he be such a competent private investigator yet be so oblivious to such obvious signs in his own home? _Cravings, hot flashes, mood swings, nausea…_

"I'm...gonna go check on her," Sae said as she stood up.

Raising a girl is like a big game of connect the dots. Be they daughter or sister, by default, there are two dots. The first dot is just the girl in all her _hopefully_ everlasting innocence. The second dot, however, is a very serious question that the guardian prays they never have to ask until that girl is a woman. If the girl meets a boy, there are now three dots; if they start dating, four; holding hands, five; marriage **,** six. It goes on and on until there's a whole mess of interconnected dots surrounding the big, serious dot.

_Are you pregnant?_

She stopped outside the bathroom door.

_' 'Are you pregnant?' I can't just ask her that...'_

In their later college days, Makoto and Akira were roommates. A shabby little apartment on the other side of town was their first living situation together. Sae wasn't too keen on the idea, of course, worrying that they had plans to turn it into a nest of sorts. But they didn't. They proved that they were responsible, young adults. And now? Now they were happily married, had well-paying jobs and this _much_ nicer apartment to their names. If there was a baby raising prep checklist, they already had the whole list checked off. Sae simply couldn't object to them having a child.

She lowered her hand, relinquishing her desire to knock and backed away from the door. If anyone should be the first to know after Makoto, it was Akira.

Well, that's the thought that _would_ have counted, at least.

Just as Sae was about to turn around, the bathroom door opened wide as a very red-faced Makoto stepped out. It was only for a split second, but laying on the bathroom counter Sae saw the plastic device any person with knowledge of reproduction could recognize. She couldn't see the results, but Makoto's glowing face spoke louder than any positive sign could.

"S-Sis…?!" Makoto yelped as she hurriedly closed the door behind her.

Wide eyes, loosely parted lips, pure _shock,_ Sae had it all. She just stood there and stared at her sister, her vocabulary temporarily unavailable.

"Y-You're… a mom… I'm… a-aunt…" Sae rambled.

Makoto's hands found their way to Sae's face as they covered her mouth. She peered down the hall leading into the kitchen, awaiting a premature reaction from the lucky father. Thankfully it seemed he hadn't heard a thing.

"I'm sure you have a million things to say right now, but please, let me tell my husband the wonderful news first."

Makoto released her sister, leaving her in the hallway as she made her way to either captivate or bewilder the love of her life.

"M-Makoto…!" Sae stammered in a hushed tone.

Makoto turned around, offering no words as she put her finger to her lips and winked over her shoulder. It was the same thing their father would do when they were girls. If ever they were being too loud while he was on the phone, he wouldn't yell, but instead, put his finger to his lips in a shushing gesture and winked at the ruby gems of his life. In turn, they'd cover their mouths as if to say _"Oops, sorry daddy!"_

Sae grinned as she covered her own mouth, just as she did all those years ago. Makoto had the authority now, she was a parent after all. She kept her congratulations to herself as she gave the couple their privacy.

_"Hey, honey?"_

_"Yes, love?"_

_"...."_

_"You're_ _pregnant?!"_

_"Mm-hm~"_

_"W-We're gonna be…!"_

_"Parents?"_

_"Yes! I… oh god… I love you, I love you SO much!"_

_"Hmhm, I love you too~"_

_"Strawberries! You need more strawberries! I'll go get some right now!"_

_"Akira, I'm fine! We have plenty already. Stay here!"_

_"I could go get some instead if you'd like."_

_"S-Sis?! No, you're staying here too. Both of you are staying RIGHT HERE!"_

That morning the kitchen was bustling with hugs, laughter, and tears of joy. Shortly after, the smell of burning donuts filled the apartment.

* * *

  
  


_Nine. Months._ Quite the experience. It had its highs and lows.

The first trimester was a bit of an adjustment period. Akira, who had respected Makoto's privacy and independence throughout all their years together, _threw that straight out the window_. The baby magazines and birthing pamphlets in their OB's waiting room were probably to blame. Bloodthirsty demons and principally corrupt angels? No biggie. _Miscarriages_ and _C-sections?_ Those put the fear of god in him. He started dancing around Makoto like she was made of glass after that.

Did he become overprotective? _Absolutely._ Not a day went by where he didn't offer to carry her up even a single stair. Any and all doors were held open as wide as the hinges would allow. He made sure everything to leave the kitchen was cut into pieces so small, Makoto would have to actually have to try to choke on it if such a thing were to happen. It wouldn't, as Akira hardly ever sat down to eat. Instead, he was always standing at the ready should Makoto ever need something at a moment's notice.

One day she came home to find _every_ piece of furniture in their home rearranged to be less of a "pregnancy hazard," as he put it. Apparently, it was actually _Sae's_ idea, even helped him do it. The credenza in their foyer was gone; put in storage along with every other sharp-edged piece furniture that they mutually agreed to be at the perfect height to stab Makoto in her abdomen.

She wasn't even showing yet. When she _did_ start showing was when things got a little weird.

_April 2024_

It was Makoto's 26th birthday. They had Sae over for dinner, as of course, they regularly did. No longer was the excuse of carpooling required for them all to enjoy a meal together. This was Makoto's birthday however, a special occasion. Sae brought cake _._ But not just any cake, a custom made cake _._ A triple-fudge, dark chocolate cheesecake _..._ topped with pickled plums, french fries and banana pudding. The caterer gave Sae a weird look when he dropped it off at her door. His eyes lingering on her stomach area.

"Okay then," Sae said, offended as she dropped the money in his open palm. _"Bye."_

Sae looked herself over in the mirror as she was getting ready to head over to their apartment for the festivities. Normally, she'd pay the ogling of some buffoon no mind, but… she _was_ beginning to notice these pants she's had for years were suddenly a bit tighter. She turned around to look at her backside.

_'I haven't let myself go… right?'_

Despite the rude service, the cake was apparently quite good according to the _actual_ pregnant woman it was for. After an amazing dinner, prepared by Akira of course, Makoto still had room left to wolf down three slices of cheesecake. She reached for her glass of chocolate milk when…

"Hhhnnng…"

Makoto was simply uncomfortably full, but to Akira and Sae, she was spontaneously _dying._

"What's wrong? Are you okay?!" Akira pleaded as he ran around the table to her side.

"I'm calling 119," Sae stated, her dial screen already opened on her phone.

"N-No, stop, I'm just… oof… so full…"

Akira helped her to the couch so she could lay down. Meanwhile, Sae put in the movie Akira had bought for Makoto. They had meant to go see it in theaters earlier in the year, but of course, baby craze took over and they completely forgot. Besides, dinner and a movie was a much better combo when there are only 10 steps between them. Makoto and Akira took the couch while Sae took the chair; all snug as a bug as they watched Yakuza members beat the shit out of each other.

About halfway into the movie, Makoto was so fed up with her husband that she had to pause it. "Akira, _honey,_ can you please stop rubbing my feet?"

"Yeah, I'll stop," he said. He offered zero resistance. It was _Sae_ that resisted.

"Just let him massage your feet, Makoto."

It didn't take long for Makoto to catch onto the dynamic going on here. "D-...Did _you_ tell him to rub my feet??"

"I only _suggested_ that he do all that he can to alleviate any aches you might have." Sae rubutted. " _Surely,_ your feet must be sore."

The nerve had officially been _struck._

" _I beg your pardon??_ I haven't gained _that_ much weight!"

"You've gained a little bit."

"Your _point?!_ It is perfectly normal for a pregnant woman to start showing after the 12th week!"

"Makoto, it's nothing to be upset about. Women in our family just get a little… _rounder,_ in our later years. I'm no exception."

So that's what's going on here.

"Sis… you're not _fat_."

" _Yes,_ I _am,_ and it's _fine._ " Sae said in her totally "fine" stern voice.

Akira slumped into the couch. Somehow he knew having her over for at least one meal a day, as well as the quality of his cooking, would be blamed for this sudden concern about one's girth. He wanted no part in a conversation about his shark-in-law's weight.

"You've gained weight, that much is undeniable…" Makoto started.

Sae glared at her sister.

"... _but_ , you honestly look a lot healthier now. Skipping meals because you're busy with work is no excuse to deny your body nutrients. You're as beautiful as ever."

Outside, Sae had her usual attorney face on, but inside she was screaming at how sweet her sister was. She had to derail the conversation quickly or else Makoto might get up and _hug_ her. On _her_ birthday, no less. Absolutely unacceptable. Her feet would probably get sore on the way to her chair.

Sae shifted her glare towards Akira.

"Don't _you_ have massaging to do or s-something?"

Akira outgrew "Yes ma'am" and it's equivalent phrases in college. Now he just did whatever Sae told him to do, especially after she became his boss. Thus the hands were back on the feet.

"N-No! I said _stop!_ " Makoto flicked her ankle, smacking away her husband's compliant hands.

"Just _let him_ rub your feet! _SURELY, your feet must be sore."_

" _THEY'RE_ _NOT!_ I just don't want him to touch my feet right now, OKAY?!" Makoto yelled.

"And _WHY_ exactly is that?!" Sae shouted.

Akira sighed, then finally spoke his peace. " _Because,_ usually when I rub her feet, we're both naked and she's coming down from orgasm. Doing it in front of her sister is _very_ strange."

Sae fell silent. Makoto fell silent. The whole world fell silent.

Akira leaned forward, grabbed the remote and pressed play. The movie resumed, distracting him from the four crimson eyes glaring at him with murderous intent. It was a pretty good crime flick, actually.

_July 2024_

"So, would you two like to know?" their doctor asked.

What a silly question. Of coursethey wanted to know. They had a nursery that needed decorating.

They nodded to each other, then looked to their doctor and said: "Yes, please."

"Well, at this stage in your pregnancy, gender is typically a done deal. With that in mind, congratulations on your healthy baby girl!"

_A baby girl…_ They had much to think about.

The first order of business was paint. Blue for a boy, pink for a girl. Now that they knew she was a girl, pink was looking like the way to go. One problem though… Makoto _despised_ pink. That was a good 90% of her reasoning behind her wanting a boy. _Anything_ to avoid having a pink room in their home.

When she was 7 years old, Makoto begged her father to paint her room pink. " _Pink is for princesses, and every little girl is a princess!"_ as 2005 society had everyone believe.

Sae, an edgy 15-year-old at the time, objected wholly to the notion. _"If you're painting your room pink, you're doing your homework out in the living room. I don't care how much help you need, no way in hell am I setting foot in a pink room."_

But of course, Makoto was daddy's girl. The next week, he painted every inch of her room with the most _hideously_ "girly" pink paint he could buy. 

When she saw it, she _hated_ it. Her father worked so hard to meet her demands though, so she lied and said she loved it. Big mistake. Her room's window faced east, so every morning she woke up to the blinding pink aura surrounding her. Doing her homework on her own proved impossible while the pure "feminism" was drilling into her temples. 

Eventually, her father found her with her Buchimaru bed sheets on the couch one morning, an entire 6 months later. She slept in Sae's room for the following two weeks while he painted it back to white. It was around that time that Makoto gave up the idea of being a princess; she was a black and blue tomboy through and through.

She'd _really_ rather avoid such a headache with her own daughter, especially during the infant phase as it'd be her and Akira changing all the diapers. 

Pink was a no-go. Blue didn't feel quite right, either. So they gave Yusuke a call. If anyone could help them decide on a color for their nursery, it'd be their one and only artist friend. Though it probably wasn't the best idea to call him _in_ the hardware store. They stood on the paint aisle for 40 minutes while he explained the entire extended rainbow and how it made _him_ feel. He eventually suggested _"razzmatazz."_ It took them awhile to find the obscure color sample, and when they finally did, Makoto was absolutely _done._

It's pink. Razzmatazz is pink. They went and bought baby violet instead.

_October 2024_

"Awwww, it's cute. Wait… why are the walls violet?"

"What's wrong with violet?" Makoto asked as she closed the picture of their completed nursery on her phone.

They were in Leblanc, paying soon-to-be pseudo-aunt Futaba a visit. Sojiro left her in charge of the store, as he had done quite frequently in recent years. Futaba had no problem being around the elderly clientele they usually had around this time. She was somewhat of an adult these days.

"I mean, _nothing,_ really _._ Just a little weird how confident you are that she'll be a lesbian," Futaba said.

Keyword: "somewhat."

From the opposite side of the counter came three simultaneous sighs.

"My room was violet when I was younger," Sae offered up as evidence that room color has nothing to do with sexuality.

Little did she know, Futaba was on a mission to prove that the ash-brown haired goddess sitting across from her was, in fact, a lesbian. "See?! Gay color. The boomers are putting subliminal messages in our walls."

"Were you looking at conspiracy forums from 2019 again?" Akira asked.

Futaba took a swig of her espresso cappuccino. Why Sojiro taught her how to make that, no one ever understood.

" _THE BOOMERS,_ ok? _The boomers_ want more of us to be gay so that there are less straight people, thus less breeding, _thus_ fewer children, _THUS_ fewer people to make them feel irrelevant."

On second thought, maybe a trip to Leblanc wasn't the best idea.

"How many cups of espresso have you had today, Futaba?" Makoto asked.

Futaba started counting her fingers mockingly as she feigned confusion. "Beats me. Want a cup?"

"I… _can't._ It'd probably give _these two_ a heart attack," Makoto said as she pointed to her husband and sister sitting on either side of her.

While a cup of coffee is fine every now and then during pregnancy, there was just no way to reliably measure the variance in caffeine intake between each cup. And prepregnancy Makoto definitely indulged in _a lot_ of cups. Before she would always have a cup with breakfast, then have another to-go, and then maybe Akira would bring her another if ever his work took him towards her. She'd become somewhat of a coffee addict after years of marriage to her own personal barista.

In the early days of her pregnancy, avoiding coffee was no problem. She couldn't stand the taste of it all of sudden. But now, only weeks away from her expected due date, she felt the urge to drown herself in excessive amounts of caffeine coming back in full droves.

Makoto placed both hands on her enlarged baby bump and spoke directly to her little bun.

"Soon you'll be out and crawling all over the place and mommy can drink allllllllll the coffee she wants~" She shot glances at her husband on her left and her sister to her right. _"...and no one can tell her otherwise."_

Futaba served Sae her coffee. She actually could order coffee and most certainly did, much to Makoto's annoyance. There were two addicts in this family.

"Why come to a cafe if you can't drink coffee?" Futaba asked.

"The smell," Makoto plainly answered. "Oh… it smells so good."

"I was against it," Sae said as she took a sip of her coffee. "You're two weeks from your due date, you should be nesting."

"Well, when _you're_ 9 months pregnant, _you_ can nest. However, I can't stand to be cooped up a moment longer..." Makoto grumbled as she sipped on her entirely caffeine-free tea.

Akira had nothing to add. Not that he didn't think she should be home, but that he had made a promise to give her back her freedom. And he always kept his promises.

_August 2024_

Akira came home to an empty apartment. He checked the bedroom, living room, both bathrooms, _nothing_. No signs of life, let alone his wife. Panic was beginning to stir inside him. Her captain had her on light duty for the past few months, so she usually made it home by now. Sae wanted her to stop riding her motorcycle, but Makoto adamantly opposed the idea.

_"Motorcycles have no ill effect on the health of a baby in this stage of a pregnancy. In fact, they're good exercise for the mother,"_ she argued. 

Akira stood by her, not wanting to clip her wings so to speak, but…

_'What if…?'_

The sound of an ambulance in the distance struck him with pure, dreadful thoughts. He raced back to the kitchen to grab his keys when he saw a note on the counter.

_"Akira, my love._

_Come to the place where_ _we shared our first kiss._

_I'll be waiting💙_

_-Makoto"_

30 minutes after he read the note, he found himself panting in front of the ferris wheel in Odaiba.

"Miss? Is that him?" the conductor asked Makoto.

She nodded. "Yes. Thank you for being so patient."

"But of course. Anything for two expecting love birds," the conductor said with a smile as he returned to the control panel.

The ferris wheel sadly didn't garner much attention these days. So when a lone pregnant woman walked up to it, the elderly gentleman running the contraption was more than happy to help her teach her husband a lesson.

Akira, too impatient to take a breather, ran up the steps leading into the gondola.

"Ma…koto… what… are you doing… here??"

Makoto nonchalantly turned her head towards her gasping husband. "Waiting. For you. Did you perhaps run here? You look a bit exhausted."

He _did_ run here. In his rush to the station, he had forgotten the train crossing the bridge was down for maintenance. He took another train to the bay, but he had to go on foot from there. Entire Rainbow Bridge in 5 minutes—Ryuji would be proud.

"Come on, you know you can't be on any amusement park rides," Akira had meant it as a statement, but it came across as more of a beg.

"Akira, _honey,_ it's a ferris wheel, not a roller coaster. We won't even be going very fast," Makoto stated more successfully than him.

_"We?"_

The question of her words was answered by the slow whirling of the engine beneath them. A little hasty at first but soon after they had risen more than a few meters it began to slow in it's ascension. Too high to jump. Almost like _someone_ informed the conductor to do it exactly like that.

"Hey!" Akira yelled at the grinning gentleman beneath them. "She's PREGNANT, GOD DAMNIT! BRING US DOWN!"

The conductor only waved, his grin evolving into a chuckle.

Makoto grabbed her husband's wrist, pulling him away from the window and towards the bench. He fell on his rear, still weak in the knees from his marathon. The force of the fall caused the cabin to sway ever so slightly to the side.

_Nope. Nuh-uh._

"M-Makoto! Don't do that!"

"What, this?" She shifted her weight in a rocking motion, making the gondola sway even more.

"YES, THAT. PLEASE STOP!"

"Honestly, though? I think she likes it," Makoto grinned at her baby bump. "So mommy's gonna keep doing it, if that's _alright_ with daddy?"

"It is NOT alright! Please, this is a very old piece of machinery. I can hear it creaking, even!"

_Creaking._

"Well then come closer and rock me yourself," she said.

_Come closer._

"N-No, if we both sit on the same side, it'll lean too far and then…"

Makoto burst out laughing. A snicker at first, but soon she was reeling as she leaned on the side rail for support.

"Wh-What are you laughing at??" Akira asked.

"I'm laughing at YOU, silly! Or rather _us—this,_ " she answered. "Are you really not getting a sense of deja vu right now?"

Several seconds passed before Akira remembered what brought him here. The note, the message:

_"...where we shared our first kiss."_

They were both still new to the whole dating thing. Makoto left most of their activities up to him, thinking someone as "suave" as Akira would know better than she when it came to romance. She was _wrong._ He didn't know anything that she didn't, but of course he didn't want _her_ to know that. So, he sifted through all the various tidbits of info he had in his mind when she asked him.

_"Where are we going to go today?"_

_"...Ferris Wheel in Odaiba?"_

Turned out to be the smoothest thing he ever did. When they got there, Makoto couldn't even sit still. She was too nervous to realize the creaking and swaying of the gondola was entirely her doing; and she felt too awkward about her foolish behavior to correct herself.

_"I-I can hear this terrible creaking noise!"_

_"Don't worry."_

_"A-And won't lean too far if we sit on the same side?!"_

_"It's ok. Everything will be just fine."_

Eventually, Akira's quiet presence calmed her down, enough so that she felt comfortable enough scoot closer to him so they could watch the sun set. Her palm found its way against his as their fingers interlocked. No words were spoken as their gazes turned to each other. No verbal consent was necessary. They both wanted it more than anything in the world at that moment.

_They kissed._

_Their_ _first kiss._

" _'Don't worry.'_ " Makoto said.

Akira's attention snapped back to the present.

" _'It's ok. Everything will be just fine.'_ "

"What?" he asked.

"That's what you said to me, remember?" she said.

"I remember, I just don't follow why you're bringing that up now."

He really did make a make a habit of being either incredibly sharp or incredibly dumb. Good thing Makoto found him particularly endearing when he was confused.

"When was the last time you slept a full eight hours? Or even sat down to actually enjoy a meal?" Makoto asked.

"But you're-"

"Pregnant? Yes, I am. What I am not, however, is _incapable_. I'm not sick or injured, I'm perfectly healthy. I don't need you waiting on me hand and foot."

"But I-"

" _You're afraid?_ " Makoto suggested.

She hit the nail on the head. Of course he was afraid. How could he not be? For the first time since he was in juvie, he felt powerless. He didn't realize until after they got him out that he _hated_ that feeling. Not being able to do anything for the people he cared about other than waste away in a cell was maddening. Everyone always thought he was more laid back when really he was just aloof about matters concerning himself. But when it came to Makoto, her happiness and well being, nothing meant more to him.

And now, there was another person about to enter his life. Another girl for whom he would do everything in his power to ensure happiness. This new and unpredictable life growing inside his wife, it… bestowed a very unfamiliar sense of anxiety upon him. He was happy to be a father, but until their baby was born and taking her first breaths, he felt like he couldn't breathe at all.

He sat down next to Makoto, embarrassed that she could still see straight through him after all this time.

"...I'm terrified," he finally admitted.

Makoto scooted closer to him just as she did when they were teenagers; this time instead wrapping her arm around his as she nestled her head against his shoulder. They sat like this for a while, once again observing the sun set as a calming tranquility radiated from their embrace.

"I meant it, by the way," she said, breaking the silence, "I wasn't just quoting you."

"Hmm?"

Makoto sat up to face her husband, without taking her hands away from his. " _Everything_ is going to be just fine. Nothing bad is going to happen to me or to our baby girl."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"I just am," she answered. "Call it a mother's instinct~"

One look in her eyes and he knew: she wasn't just trying to cheer him up. She was going to make sure she and their baby were going to be the big, happy family they both desired. And when Makoto wanted something done, it got done.

Akira smiled. "Okay, _mommy,_ I believe you."

Makoto's own smile met his as they embraced once more—now with a kiss, the latest of the hundreds of thousands they shared since the first in this very spot.

"Promise me one thing, though?" she asked as she pulled away.

"Anything, always," he said.

Her index finger jabbed sharply into his chest. "Let me cut my own damn food."

_October 2024, Again_

They were saying their goodbyes to Futaba outside Leblanc. Makoto and Sae were bickering over proper pregnancy practices, as usual. Akira and Futaba kept to themselves, although the latter couldn't keep from snickering at how juvenile these "mature" women were behaving. Just another mundane day leading up to the big one.

_Or so they thought_.

"Honestly sis, should you even be here? Akira's on paternity leave, but you? You're just taking time off," Makoto said.

Sae scoffed. "Well _excuse me_ for wanting to be here to provide emotional support to my sister during this trying time of her life."

"Oh for god's sake. Sis, I'm _pregnant_. I'm not d-..."

Her words were cut short by an alarming sensation. The sarcastic smile she wore during these usual back and forths faded from her face entirely, to be replaced with a look of genuine concern as her eyes looked down between her legs.

"You're not wh—Makoto? Makoto what's wrong?!" Sae panicked after she turned around and saw her sister.

Akira, who was conversing with Futaba about something or other, immediately dropped the conversation and rushed to Makoto's side.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's wrong?!" he pleaded as he held both of his arms on either side of her should she need support.

Usually she'd shrug him off, but this time she took his arm leaned into him.

"I-I… I think my water just broke," she whispered.

_Oh god. OhgodohgodohgodOHGOD!_

They prepared for this, they knew what to do, but they didn't expect to have to do it _here_ or _now._

Akira offered his entire frame to Makoto to get her weight off her feet as best he could. Sae meanwhile, fumbled her phone out of her purse in record time.

"Yes, we're in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya. The main street? _TWENTY MINUTES?!_ MY _SISTER_ _IS GOING INTO LABOR RIGHT NOW_ GOD DAMNIT!"

Amidst the panic and shouting, a flash of orange zipped by as the girl who never jogged a day in her life ran past them and around the corner at mach speeds.

"Y-You're gonna be okay, okay?!" Akira whimpered into Makoto's hair as her head was pressed firmly against his chest.

Makoto gasped out the closest thing she could to a laugh. "Hah… O-Obviously, I told y-you so, r-right?"

Going into labor in a back alley and still she was trying to put her husband's worries at ease. Such love filled him with so much determination that he'd carry her to the nearest hospital himself if he had to. Too bad he wouldn't get to display his love in turn.

"Over here!"

Akira and Sae directed a small portion of their attention to Futaba, who was waving down the alley just around the corner.

A familiar doctor, adorning ripped leggings and a questionable amount of black latex-leather, rushed past the over-caffeinated girl and to the aid of the Niijima family.

Takemi took one look at the man (familiar) holding the weak-kneed woman (also familiar) while another woman (unfamiliar) yelled angrily into her phone. She knew exactly what to do.

"You and you," she pointed to Akira and Sae, "help her to my clinic. Now."

Once there, they helped Makoto to the bed. Pants off, legs spread, sanitation all around. It wasn't the hospital in which they planned to bring their daughter into the world, but it'd have to do. For better or worse, she'd be with her parents soon.

"Sae-san, was it? I'm going to need your help," Takemi said.

"M-Me?" Sae asked.

"I need a nurse."

"I-I'm not qualified for this!"

"Are you squeamish?"

"N-No?"

"Do you have two hands?"

"Obviously, but…!"

"Do you love your sister?" Takemi asked.

Sae looked at Makoto, who was currently being tended to by Akira. She was sweating, breathing as Akira held onto her tightly clutching hand.

"More than anything," Sae answered.

Takemi smiled. "Then congratulations, you're my nurse. Roll up your sleeves, wash your hands, put on some gloves and an apron."

Sae did as told without hesitation. She'd be damned if she was going to let anything happen to her growing family.

Akira already had the whole wardrobe assembled shortly after helping Makoto to the bed. Gloves, apron, even had one of those doctor hats that he couldn't for the life of him remember the name of. He sat on a stool beside the bed, though it more like he was crouching with how far forward he was leaning. He kept wiping the sweat from her brow before it could reach her eyes. A small gesture, but the least and the only thing he could do with one available hand. It was greatly appreciated.

"I...must...look awful...huh?" Makoto said between her huffs and puffs.

"You're beautiful, you're _SO_ beautiful," Akira dismissed as he kissed her sweaty forehead.

"I...oh god...I love...youuuohhh…"

Takemi looked up from between her legs. "Okay, Makoto, you're ready. All you have to do is breathe and push, okay? Lover boy? You breathe when she breathes, got it? And keep holding that hand."

Makoto looked to her husband, their breathing synching with each other as he gave reassuring nods. 

_Time to say hi to our daughter…_

"aaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

  
  


* * *

"...Smoke?"

Sae shot a glance at Takemi's closed hand. In it, she held a pack of cigarettes.

"Smoke? Here? That's my niece in the other room," Sae responded very sternly.

Takemi grinned, then took one of the "cigarettes" and bit into it with a very audible snapping sound. Apparently they were _candy._

"Good, very good. I'd say you're about ready to babysit," Takemi joked as she slid the candy smokes back into her coat pocket.

_'…of all the doctors…'_ Sae thought.

They were sitting alone in the waiting room, hours later—well after midnight. Sae thought it best to give the couple some privacy with their newborn after a somewhat exhausting delivery. Hell, all she did was hand Takemi various utensils and even _she_ was tired. She thought maybe she could rest her eyes a bit but nooo, _Dr. Takemi_ had to keep her company. As it would happen, the door gently opened a few moments later so really it didn't matter anyhow.

Akira stepped out into the waiting room, his eyes all red and stuffy.

Sae stood up to meet him. "Is everything all right? Are they okay?"

_"They."_ Plural. Akira still couldn't believe it was real.

"Yeah. Yeah, they're both okay," he said before turning to Takemi. "We have youto thank for that, Takemi-san."

He stood in front of Takemi and bowed. Very formal. The last time Sae saw him bow was when he asked for her blessings to marry Makoto. If he was teary-eyed then, she probably would have told him "no." She thought maybe she'll give him a pass on the day of his daughter's birth, though.

Takemi snickered. " _'-san.'_ Since when have you become such a prim and proper young man?"

"Since you made sure my wife and daughter were alive and well," Akira said. "Which brings me to why I'm out here…"

Back in the exam room, Makoto held her beautiful baby girl in her arms. She was the most exhausted of all, but she simply couldn't close her eyes with the curious little strawberries looking back at her. This was _her_ baby, the baby _she_ made with her _husband_. All their years together led to this very moment when a new life, containing their combined genes, came into this world. Of course she was crying. It was for the same reason Akira was: they had officially started a family. _Their_ family. Words could not possibly describe how happy that made her.

The door once again gently opened as Akira came back inside, now accompanied by Sae.

"Daddy's back~" Makoto whispered to their daughter.

Sae covered her mouth as she gasped. She'd thought herself quite resilient to the effects of cute things, but her niece wrapped snugly in a blanket as her sister lovingly cradled her...it was enough to jerk even her tears.

"She… She has dad's hair…" Sae whispered, a tear running down her cheek.

Makoto smiled at her baby. "Mm-hm~ Just like her aunt. You're gonna be quite the heartbreaker, aren't you baby?"

Akira crouched beside the bed as he leaned down to kiss his wife. His smile was permanently stuck on his face even as his lips met hers.

"Mmm~ What did she say?" Makoto asked.

"She said _'yes.'_ " Akira answered.

Of course they considered a great deal of names for their child, but hadn't decided on one for certain. They'd thought they had another two weeks to decide for sure, but apparently their baby girl had different plans.

But now they had one. One that would remind them of the day she was born and by whom the miracle was carried out.

"Hear that, baby?" Makoto whispered to the little one. "We have a name for you~"

_Tae Niijima, our little girl._

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So this first chapter is bit all over the place LMAO. But thats kinda what I want to do with this series, just a bunch of ShuMako HCs that may or may not be in chronological order. Also need me my auntie Sae fluff.


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